Archinect - Mark Talbot Travel Blog

Kaş(Kekova), Turkey_ Sunken city of Kekova

2010-08-13T12:43:45-04:00

A large earthquake in the 2nd century AD caused this Lycean port city to sink into the Mediterranean sea. Many of the buildings are submerged underwater as are the foundations of the old harbor.

Kale(Demre), Turkey_Church of St. Nicholas, Myra

2010-08-13T12:39:04-04:00

Kale today is a city who's economy is primarily agricultural. Descending into the valley one can see greenhouses spreading for miles.

Near the center of the city is the Church of St. Nicholas (yes Santa Claus). St. Nicholas was born in 300, became the bishop of Myra and died in 350. The church was built above his tomb in his honor shortly after his death.

Myra was one a bustling Lycean city, now all that remains are the ruins of its amphitheater as well as rock tombs in which the rulers of this city were cremated. If you will notice the relief carvings above each tomb, these reliefs depict the ruler who's remains are in each.

Antalya, Turkey_Roman Port, Hadrian's Gate, Clock Tower

2010-08-13T12:25:49-04:00

I wasn't in the city long, I was using it as a base to visit a few other sites. The city used to be the primary naval base for Attalos II, the king of Pergamon's fleet in 150 BC. The port still functions for smaller boats, the walls surrounding it are now lined with shops and restaurants.

Fethiye(Telmessos), Turkey_Lycean Rock Tombs

2010-08-11T14:39:00-04:00

Fethiye is located on the site of the ancient Lycean city of Telmessos, the most important city of Lycia, dating from around the 5th century BC.

The city is surrounded by mountains on all sides, these tombs were carved into the cliff face behind the town.

Ignore the graffiti and smell of urine.

Pamukkale, Turkey_Calcium Carbonate Baths, Hierapolis

2010-08-11T14:02:33-04:00

The city of Palmukkale "Cotton Castle", gets its name from the large travertines lining a nearby cliff. These travertines were formed over thousands of years of calcium carbonate impregnated water flowing from hot springs, down the face of the cliff. The warm, calcium rich waters have been bathed in for thousands of years, in fact atop the cliff lies the Roman spa city of Heirapolis.

The city itself was leveled by an earthquake in 60 CE, it was abandoned soon after.

Hadrian's Fountain

Domitian gate, this is all that remains of the city's center.

Selçuk(Efesus), Turkey_Library of Celsus, Amphitheater, Fountain of Trajan

2010-08-09T16:52:42-04:00

Efesus (more text later...)

25,000 seats!

Bergama(Pergamon), Turkey_Acropolis, Asclepion, Red Basilica

2010-08-09T16:11:28-04:00

Bergama is the modern name for the Greek city of Pergamon which flourished around 133 B.C.

The Great Altar of Pergamon is now housed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.

The Asclepion was the Greeks' greatest hospital, known for its vast library as well as the healing waters of its sacred spring...

The symbols found on this column are used in today's medical symbols. Asclepius is the Greek god of healing and medicine.

The Red Basilica

Istanbul, Turkey_Rumeli Fortress, Maidens Tower

2010-08-09T15:15:28-04:00

Went with a friend for a drive up the Bosphorus. Along the way we stopped at Rumeli Fortress, a fortress built over just 4 months in 1452 under the order of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror for the final attack on Constantinople.

The legend of Maiden's Tower -
A sultan had a much beloved daughter. One day, an oracle prophesied that she would be killed by a venomous snake on her 18th birthday. The sultan, in an effort to thwart his daughter's early demise by placing her away from land so as to keep her away from any snakes, had the tower built in the middle of the Bosphorus to protect his daughter until her 18th birthday. The princess was placed in the tower, where she was frequently visited only by her father.

On the 18th birthday of the princess, the sultan brought her a basket of exotic sumptuous fruits as a birthday gift, delighted that he was able to prevent the prophecy. Upon reaching into the basket, however, an asp that had been hiding among the fruit bit the young princess a...

Istanbul, Turkey_Aya Sophia, Basilica Cistern

2010-08-09T14:29:18-04:00

The Hagia Sophia dates back to 532. It was ordered to be built by Justinian I, who chose the physicist Isidore of Miletus and the mathematician Anthemius of Tralles as his architects.

The dome used to be round, strangely, renovation of the structure bent it out of shape, it is now roughly elliptical.

This is a Minbar, where the imam stands to deliver sermons.

This is the Sultans Gallery, it was added to the Hagia Sophia in 1740 by Sultan Mahmud I. This gallery was built to protect the sultan from assassination.

This is one of the two Lustration urns flanking the main entrance. Lustration was a purification ritual in which the water contained in this urn was used. The urns were carved from single chunks of marble in the Roman city of Pergamum. (seen later in the trip)

The entry to the Hagia Sophia is adorned with a mosaic depicting the Virgin mother and Child flanked by Justinian I and Constantine I.

The Basilica Cistern provided water filtration for the Great Palace of Const...

Istanbul, Turkey_Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul University, Suleymani Camii, Aqueduct of Valens

2010-08-02T03:20:50-04:00

Very busy day. I started on the shore of the Bosphorus to see the Dolmabahce Palace, the palace was built for Sultan Abdülmecid I in 1856. It is a mix of architectural styles; Ottoman, Neoclassical, Baroque and Rococo (believe it or not). An incredible building, unfortunately, no pictures allowed inside...the 4.5 ton chandelier is worth looking up, really stunning interiors.

Dolmabahce Camii

Dolmabahce Clocktower

Dolmabahce Palace

Istanbul University was founded in 1453 as a school "Theological and environmental sciences". This main gate used to belong to the Ottoman Ministry of War, it was designed by the French architect, Auguste Bourgeios in 1870.

Suleymani Camii. This mosque was designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan (whose pupil's work I showed the other day, Blue Mosque). 2nd largest mosque in the city, it actually has the tomb of Sultan Suleiman I located on the grounds. They were renovating it when I was there so unfortunately no interiors of the main space itself,...

Istanbul, Turkey_Istanbul Sirkeci Terminal, Blue Mosque

2010-07-31T17:09:22-04:00

Overview of the city, looking across the Golden Horn.

A street in the Beyoglu area.

Istanbul Sirkeci Terminal
This is the main train station of the European side of Istanbul, it currently serves the European train traffic coming into Istanbul. This will all change however, with the already underway Marmaray cross-Bosporus tunnel project, which will eventually allow train travel direct from the European to Asian sides. The station was built in 1890 by a Prussian architect named August Jachmund. It is in the style "European Orientalism", being a prime example of this, it has had noticeable influence in some of the other buildings in the area.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
The most important mosque in the city is marked by not 4 but 6 minarets. Sedefhar Mehmet Aga, the pupil of Mimar Sinan (chief Ottoman architect for 3 consecutive sultans, one of his masterpieces, the Suleiman Mosque I will show tomorrow) was the architect, designing the mosque which was completed in 1616....